User Reviews

The thing that makes this movie watchable is Jimmy Stewart. It is his acting that brings life to a pretty wooden account of the history of the FBI.

Hoover and the agency had full control of what goes into this movie. Coming off as a heroic account of the agency, it does at least throw in some family stuff and Stewart & Vera Miles do get some pretty decent scenes together.

One you get past these performances, the story is pretty cut and dried, showing the history of the agency. Still, watching Stewart make another unlikely role appealing with his considerable acting skills is worth the ride. Think this was the first wide spread media exposure of FBI's Hogan's Alley course.

Wondering how Eastwoods new J Edgar might show a different side to this story?

THE FBI STORY (1959) was Warner Bros. 149 minute epic tribute to the famous criminal investigation agency! From a book by Don Whitehead came a somewhat laborious screenplay by Richard L. Green and John Twist and was directed with only a modicum of flair by Mervyn LeRoy. However it did have splendid colour Cinematography by Joseph Biroc and a helpful score by the studio's musical magician Max Steiner!

The movie charts the history of the Bureau from its lowly beginnings in the twenties to modern times and its all seen through the recollections of aging fastidious agent Chip Hardesty (James Stewart) as he relates his investigative experiences - in flashback - to a class of budding young agents. But it's all very long-winded and episodic! And as it progresses it begins to look like a TV mini series instead of a major movie production as the young Hardesty runs the American crime gamut from taking on such notorious criminal figures as "Baby Face" Nelson, Ma Barker, Dillinger etc. to sorting out nefarious organisations like the Ku Klux Klan, Nazi spy rings and the Red Menace. And here it has to be said that only for the screen presence and appeal of its star THE FBI STORY would probably have ended up a forgotten disaster. Moreover, this is another problem with the picture - Stewart is left to carry the entire movie almost on his own! With the exception of Vera Miles - who has the thankless role of being his long suffering but devoted wife - he is surrounded by a cast of minor players! Throughout you find yourself half expecting someone like Robert Ryan, Jack Palance or even Raymond Burr to make a welcome entrance as a mobster or a police chief or whatever. But nothing quite as imaginative as that ever occurs! Pity!

The film does however manage to give a good look inside the workings of the Bureau! With the help of Stewart's narration we learn about the thousands of men and women who work for the organisation which includes the hundreds of agents in the field. And we are also treated to a peek inside headquarters which houses the gigantic records section and we also get a glimpse of the chemists and fingerprint experts meticulously going through their daily chores.

Another plus for the movie is Max Steiner's remarkable score! Heard over the titles is a powerful, rousing and determined march while for the picture's gentler moments there is an attractive love theme. But quite ingenious is the menacing and ominous march theme for the Ku Klux Klan sequence. And better still is the rhythmic Latin-American music the composer wrote for the South American scenes especially the exciting Fandango like orchestrations for the arrival of the Federal troops on horseback. THE FBI STORY was one of five scores the composer wrote in 1959 which included Samuel Bronston's naval epic "John Paul Jones", the charming Rom-com "Cash McCall", Delmer Daves' seminal western "The Hanging Tree" and Daves' "A Summer Place" from which derived the Young Love Theme - which was to become a major hit tune for Steiner better known as "Theme From A Summer Place".

THE FBI STORY just about passes muster as a movie thanks to Biroc's rich colour Cinematography, Steiner's wonderful music and of course Jimmie Stewart who makes anything watchable!

Classic but implausible line from THE FBI STORY............. As the bland Nick Adams (who has just blown up a plane with 43 people on board, including his mother) is being led away handcuffed he turns to the arresting officer and blurts: "In case I get any mail you can send it to Canyon City prison for the next month or so - after that you can send it to HELL". Wow!

There's something decadently ironic about a film that so earnestly champions uncovering the truth at all costs taking such flagrant liberties in passing off its primarily fictional, cheeseball propaganda as solemn fact. Still, The FBI Story toots its paradox horn with cheery pride. It's a clumsily transparent ideological recruitment video under the guise of a police procedural/action thriller/social drama, but too ambitious to linger, let alone excel, as any of the above. But, as a slice of nostalgia from the era where 'G-Men' conjured more awe than costumed superheroes, Mervyn LeRoy's love letter to J. Edgar Hoover carries its fair share of charm, even as a canonical text in helping foster the era of media disinformation that would only continue to stew and contort in the decades to follow.

If the film's episodic composition was a canny means of capitalizing on the growing phenomenon of television, it's spot on, as the series of disconnected FBI escapades plays more as miniseries than movie. Unfortunately, with an elephantine run time of two and a half hours that distinctly do not whiz by, awkwardly segmented by ungainly editing lurches and the dry contrivance of a lecture framing device, sitting through the film becomes such a ponderous slog it'll make you yearn for commercial breaks. It's a shame, as many of the interludes are fantastic, gripping fun: the FBI taking down the Dillinger gang is classic gangster camp, an incursion into a KKK uprising is unnervingly chilling, and the opening sequence airline bombing virtually quivers with Hitchcockian suspense, all excellently accompanied by Max Steiner's jaunty march of a score.

Unfortunately, these bursts of plot slump into increasing staleness over time, particularly as the entrenched ideology cockily struts into view and spreads its eagle wings. Expanses of story become increasingly strong-armed into heavy-handed gun lobbying, militaristic enlistment, commie witch hunt jingoism, and alarmingly brazen WWII historical revisionism, too morally coercive to even enjoy the camp potential in their propagandistic excesses. Those familiar with Steven Spielberg's Bridge of Spies will recognize the climactic pursuit of a soviet spy smuggling microfilm in a coin, but it's a brash contender for the slowest chase scene in cinema history here. If anything, it's one of the film's few incursions into realism - surveillance work is, well, pretty dull - but it sure isn't a riveting close for audiences who have already likely been spending the last hour fidgeting in their seats.

But don't worry: if you're here for a chuckle, there's plenty to sink your teeth into. For one, there's the screenwriters' curious conceit of intercutting FBI assignments with finding a new, weird, idiosyncratic fixation for Jimmy Stewart to grump about at home (laments for dropped pickles, missing tissue paper, and purloined shaving lotion all occupy more dialogue than any real character development). And speaking of fixations: never before has a script literalized the idiom of 'starving writer' to such an extent, as more attention is devoted to fawning over the characters' meals than any actual detecting throughout (I guess if 'you are what you eat,' we have an excellent sense of Stewart's character). Any welling emotion conjured from an untimely character death is quickly dashed by one of the most hilariously cringeworthy eulogies in cinema history ("I didn't know him I just know he died"), while "shrimp and ice cream" is immortalized as a hilarious non-sequitur of a wink-wink-nod-nod to pregnancy. And finally: a tinkling cover of 'Yankee Doodle' played over panning shots of the Lincoln Memorial and a WWII monument? The film couldn't have ended with more deliriously soppy patriotism if Uncle Sam himself had loped onto the screen and open-mouth kissed J. Edgar Hoover under an American flag. And you thought the Montage propaganda of them pesky enemy Reds was shameless.

The film as a whole is unabashedly anchored on James Stewart's all-American star power. But, although his legendarily earnest, 'aww-shucks' charisma remains unquenchably colossal, he's too resigned to autopilot and cantankerous, bossy blustering to sufficiently command the hearts and minds of the country's youths. Vera Miles is similarly pleasantly bland, spouting some peppery outbursts of righteous indignation when given the chance, but too confined to her 'housewife waiting at the proverbial lighthouse' archetype to make much of an impression. Finally, Murray Hamilton neatly inverts the iconic sleaziness of his mayor from Jaws as Stewart's slick, more gung-ho fellow G-Man, but he's too underused to generate more than blips of enjoyment.

If the FBI prides itself on its efficiency, intelligence, and ingenuity, its filmic Story here could hardly be less representative. Still, clumsy, bizarrely tangential, and ideologically brutish as it can be, it's a largely harmless, pleasantly charming affair, and ultimately fairly disarming and entertaining in its hokey jingoism. Nonetheless, in the modern day epidemic of 'alternate facts' politics, The FBI Story remains a pristine testament to doing what it says rather than does, and taking appropriate measures to research, detect, and unearth the whole truth, rather than drawing conclusions simply because Jimmy Stewart's voice-over said so. Unless he's simply recommending the best local shrimp joint, that is. Better enjoyed sans ice cream, though. Unless...

-6/10

There are a very actors whose films I will watch even if the film isn't so great, simply because they such consummate actors. For me, Jimmy Stewart is one such actor. I wasn't expecting a whole lot out of this film, but was pleasantly surprised.

The plot line itself is thin, with Stewart the faithful (but dedicated) husband and Vera Miles as the not-always-satisifed with her husband being in the FBI wife. But when it comes down to it, the story of the FBI -- in that era -- is told via a number of vignettes of interesting FBI cases. The film is long enough to do each of them some justice, although some might say that the film is too long (149 minutes). And how much more authentic can you get -- J Edgar Hoover had a great deal of control over the film and appears briefly in it (non-speaking cameo).

Is it a great film? No. But it does let is see the perception of the FBI in its early years, which is very much different than the perception we have of it now. Like or hate Hoover (and I'm no fan), you've got to give him some credit for making the FBI into a powerful scion of the law (despite many flaws).

But Stewart is interesting here. He is still playing the (sort of) romantic lead, despite being in his early fifties...and he pulls it off. Vera Miles is one of my favorite actresses of those who never got the credit she deserved for many fine film and television roles, although to be honest, this is not her best work (and the blond hair was distracting).

Accept the film for what it is and you'll enjoy it.

Have you ever felt like your being watched, like someone keeps tabs on every move you make? Well, just remember before you decide to break the law, the FBI will always be there. At least that's the feeling you get after watching the gripping but slightly mellow crime drama, The FBI story. It traces the roots of the organization from a small bureau to one of the most modern facilities in the world (in 1959), by telling the story through they eyes of one of its agents, Chip Hardesty (James Stewart).

Chip was with the FBI from day one, and he gladly puts his job above everything else in the world, even occasionally his family. The FBI Story tracks his life by depicting what he does as an agent, and how being one affects his personal life. The film does a spectacular job of showing what kind of cases the FBI handles and how they handle them. The audience gets to see Chip stop Ku Klux Klan riots, go undercover to solve an Indian murder/estate scandal, bring fugitives into custody, rescue hostages, and helped fight in WWII. He even helped bring Communist spies to justice.

Stewart, in a vaguely complex performance, is stellar (as always) as the slightly neurotic agent who loves his job maybe a little too much. One of the best parts about this film is that we get to see the inside workings of both Chip's family life and his job. We witness him suffer through the death of his best friend and then his son. We also observe his wife having a miscarriage, and his marriage having rocky times. Almost all of his personal problems are caused by love of his job. Vera Miles gives a spotty performance, but it's very convincing, none the less. She was never a brilliant actress, but there was always something very attractive and alluring about her. Well maybe that's just me? Sadly, none of the other performances are worth mentioning, but the attention-grabbing story managed to keep me exceedingly interested.

The cinematography of this film was impressive, especially the scenes in the South American jungles. The colors all had a texture that really set the atmosphere of the film. Perhaps the greatest part of this movie was Mervyn Leroy's fabulous direction. Every scene was so fluid they just rolled together to tell a brilliant story. It's chock full of ingenious camera shots, some with a very Hitchcockian feel.

All in all, The FBI Story is a spectacular, but overlooked film. Clocking in at two and a half hours some viewers might be intimidated, but if you get the chance I recommend jumping into this one. I enjoyed Jimmy Stewart's spectacular performance, and the captivating story.

I first saw this film as a young boy and recently purchased it on DVD.

James Stewart brings great depth to the role of Chip Hardesty, a hardworking and dedicated FBI agent. His life in the Bureau is intercut with his family life, which is not all rosy. His wife (an excellent portrayal by Vera Miles) lives in fear of the dangerous nature of his job, and they even separate for a time; Chip's best friend and fellow agent Sam Crandall (Murray Hamilton) is killed in a gunfight; Chip's son, Mike, enlists in the Marines during World War II. Through it all, the family carries on with bravery and dignity.

The action sequences are quite exciting and the semi-documentary style of the film works effectively. And the music by Max Steiner says it all; fidelity, bravery and integrity.

This country owes a great debt of gratitude to the men and women of the FBI and, yes, to J. Edgar Hoover as well. If Mr. Hoover's type of vigilance had been observed, we might have been spared 9/11, the surge in crimes against children and many of the venal politicians we've had to put up with since his passing.